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Get more from your shiny box of joy: Taking Apple TVs to the next levelMon, 02 Mar 2015 14:10:52 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Giveaway: Win an Apple Tray – a beautiful Apple TV holderhttp://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/02/12/giveaway-win-an-apple-tray-a-beautiful-apple-tv-holder/
http://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/02/12/giveaway-win-an-apple-tray-a-beautiful-apple-tv-holder/#commentsWed, 12 Feb 2014 22:05:25 +0000http://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=5962Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!
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Last week we reviewed the Apple Tray, an elegant looking Apple TV holder made by Chicago-based Tinsel & Timber, and we called it one of the best Apple TV holders we’ve ever seen. Available in your choice of sustainably harvested American Walnut or Maple, this functional piece keeps your Apple TV and remote organized and looking great. Partnering with Tinsel & Timber, we’re giving away two brand new pieces of Apple Tray!

How many times have you lost your tiny Apple TV remote? It’s countless, I know. At least now we have something to do about it. Chicago-based Tinsel & Timber has come up with one of the most elegant looking Apple TV holders we’ve ever seen.

Apple Tray, simply put, is a stand for your Apple TV and its remote. It is a rectangular piece of well-finished wood with two slots carved in for your device. The box fits in perfectly on the square slot and has a special track for your cables to flow out.

At the first glance, the remote seems to be embedded into the piece of log. With special groves for your fingers, it wouldn’t be so hard to pick it up either. Also the floor of the remote slot is finished with a felt of 100% Merino wool so that the aluminium doesn’t get scratched. You’ll also get four cork-feet for the tray, to keep it positioned.

The Apple Tray will cost you $49 and is available in different variants. The wood can be American Walnut (in pictures) or Maple, while the felt can be charcoal, salmon or cream in color.

The feature is accessed by holding down the center Select button on the remote for several seconds, after which the selected icon begins to wiggle as is seen on other iOS devices when in reorder/delete mode. The wiggling icon can then be moved by using the directional buttons on the remote, with other icons automatically adjusting to make room for the icon being moved.

One difference in icon reordering between the Apple TV and other iOS devices is that the lack of a touch interface means that only one icon at a time can be selected and moved on the Apple TV. There is also no sign yet of an ability to delete or hide unused icons on the Apple TV menu.

Is Apple preparing apps for Apple TV? CNET notes that Apple introduced a similar feature in iPhone OS in 2008, just ahead of an SDK that let developers build their own apps.

Apple TV in 3D? Well, for now that is a no but soon we will be able to remote control our Apple TV’s in the 3rd dimension. Apple has recently won 22 patents, as reported by Patently Apple, which covers everything from Electromagnetic Induction (battery extension for iOS devices) to a new 3D Apple TV remote technology that potentially includes a “wand”, a touch interface, as well as a gyroscope sensor. Patently Apple describes what this patent could mean to our living rooms:

Apple’s granted patent covers a media system may include an electronic device, a screen, and a wand. The user may interact with one or more media applications implemented on the electronic device using the wand. The wand may include any suitable components for providing instructions to the electronic device. For example, the wand may include a motion detection component providing outputs reflecting the movements of the wand to the electronic device.

To me, this seems remnant of an Apple TV Remote crossed with an iPod touch and a Wii-Mote. We will just have to wait and see.

The default remote control for your Apple TV is small, slick, and smooth. To many users, of Apple‘s “hobby” device, it is also thought to be too small and somewhat limited in features. For those of you have found the Apple TV to be limited only by its remote… you have likely found the iOS remote to be a decent alternative to Apples’ hardware offering. Though this iOS remote can help fill the void, eventually you will want to control your Apple TV while using your iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod) device for something else.

For years now Apple TV’s have had a simple, yet amazing, ability to use a remote that came with your TV, cable box, or DVD player to also control Apple TV (both 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation). Here is how to do this (official instructions from Apple):

Note: If you have an Apple TV (1st generation), update to Apple TV software 2.3 or later.

Using the Apple Remote included with Apple TV, choose Settings > General > Remotes.

Choose Learn Remote.

Set your remote to a device setting that doesn’t control any other devices in the area or identify other buttons that do not already control a function on your TV or other device. Many third-party remotes have an option to control different devices such as a VCR or DVD player, or have an auxiliary (AUX) option for an unspecified device.

Start.

Apple TV will display icons that represent the six buttons on the Apple Remote with the “Up” or “+” button highlighted first.

Using your third-party remote, press and hold the button you would like to use to control the “up” function until the blue progress bar is full, as shown below.

Apple TV will then select the next button function. Repeat step 6 and 7 using a different button

After you have programmed all six button functions, you can now use your third-party remote to control Apple TV.

Optionally, you can set up specific playback buttons for fast-forward, rewind, next chapter, and more.

You can program additional remotes to control Apple TV by repeating steps 1 through 8. At anytime you can rename, delete or revise your button choices for a selected third-party remote by choosing Settings > General > Remotes and selecting a third-party remote that Apple TV has already learned.

I, personally, encourage you to take the time and give it a go… and post your results below. This little trick can help breathe new life into your little magic box!